Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians

Broom, Bobby (Robert Broom, Jr.)

Broom, Bobby [Robert Broom, Jr.], guitarist; b. New York City, 18 January 1961. His parents are Robert Broom, bn. 1919, Alachua, FL, and Rubye Broom, bn. 1921, Peerless, West VA. He took private guitar studies with Jimmy Carter (1974-1976), at the High School of Music and Art, NYC (1975-1978) and at Berklee College of Music (1978-1979). By the age of sixteen he had performed with Sonny Rollins and Donald Byrd at Carnegie Hall and was playing clubs with Charlie Parker pianists, Al Haig and Walter Bishop, Jr. After attending Boston's Berklee College of Music, he returned to NYC eager to gain even more experience.

Before long he became one of the "young lions" of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers of 1980. Broom made the decision to tour and record with jazz-funk trumpeter and GRP artist, Tom Browne, foregoing his connection with the Blakey band. He was soon in Japan however, touring and recording with GRP Records co-founder Dave Grusin. Later he signed a recording contract with GRP which yielded two records.

Opportunities continued which allowed for Bobby's musical growth. Beginning in 1982 he worked with his mentor Sonny Rollins again, touring for four years and recording two albums. Then in 1987 he was hand-picked by jazz guitar icon, Kenny Burrell to be featured as a member of "The Jazz Guitar Band." That group toured and released two live recordings of performances at the Village Vanguard for Blue Note Records.
Since his departure from New York Broom has continued to tour, record and teach. He has recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, organist Charles Earland, and saxophonists Stanley Turrentine, Ronnie Cuber, Eric Alexander, and David Murray. Broom's other notable concert performances include stints with Miles Davis, Max Roach, Jimmy Smith, Courtney Pine, E. S. P. and Kenny Garrett. Most recently he toured, recorded and co-produced the Blue Note recording, Duke Elligant, with New Orleans legend, Dr. John.

In addition to his live performances, Bobby has also garnered years of experience as a jazz educator and faculty member at Chicago's American Conservatory of Music, Roosevelt University, the University of Hartford (under the direction of Jackie McLean), as well as for the Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz. He is currently a professor of jazz guitar at DePaul University. He has also conducted workshops and master classes for the Yamaha Music Corporation of America, Hofner Guitars and as a clinician at various schools and universities including Duke University, the University of South Florida, Northern Illinios University and Bellarmine University and a "jazz mentor" to Chicago inner-city high school students for the Ravinia Festival Organization's Music In The Schools community outreach program.